Back to the basics / fundamentals

Date : 14th March 2009
Speaker : Pastor Jeff
Title : Why Praise? Why Worship?
Scripture : [ Psalms 61 : 1 -8 ]

¹ Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.

² From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

³ For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.

⁴ I long to dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
Selah

⁵ For you have heard my vows, O God;
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

⁶ Increase the days of the king's life,
his years for many generations.

⁷ May he be enthroned in God's presence forever;
appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.

⁸ Then will I ever sing praise to your name
and fulfill my vows day after day.

1) I Get To Experience The Reality Of God's Presence <>

• Only when we praise , we get to experience the reality of the tangible presence of God.
• Praise And Worship is a means of experiencing Him through the lyrics in the music.
• [ 1 Samuel 16 : 23 ] " ²³ Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. "
  
• Even when we feel far away from him , God Is Real.

2) I Get Elevated Above The Realms Of My Problems <>

• [ Isaiah 55 : 9 ] ^{" 9} As the heavens are higher than the earth,
  so are my ways higher than your ways
  and my thoughts than your thoughts. "
  
• We need to change our perspective to God's.
• When we worship , we enter God's realm and see things through the LENS of God.
• [ Acts 16 : 25 - 26 ] " ²⁵About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. "
• Are we gonna choose to whine about our problems or just worship him?

3) I Get Energised By God's Promises <>

• [ Psalms 34 : 9 ] " ⁹ Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing."
• Praise and Worship is the moving of the spirit of God in our hearts.